65 Search Results for "control"

• Back to School Must Dos for yo Back to School Must Dos for your Chidlren

  • From: lynni
  • Description:

     

    Back-to-School Checklist Should Include Ensuring Vaccinations are Up-to-Date

    Atlanta, Ga.) – A new school year can be a busy time for families. As busy as it is, it’s a critical time for parents to make sure their children are up-to-date on all recommended adolescent vaccines. The National Meningitis Association (NMA) is urging parents to protect their children from serious, sometimes life-threatening illnesses before they send them back to school.

    One such illness is meningococcal disease, a deadly but potentially vaccine-preventable bacterial infection that can kill or disable an otherwise healthy child within hours of its first symptoms. Although people of all ages can get the disease, adolescents and young adults are at greater risk than most. Returning to school places adolescents in situations where they are in long-term close contact with large groups, which is believed to contribute to this risk. Whether kids are preparing for junior high, high school or college, it’s important to ensure they have been vaccinated for meningococcal disease.

    Ashley Lee had just begun her freshman year in college when she nearly lost her life to meningococcal disease. She spent several months in the hospital and lost her left foot and some fingers. Ashley’s battle did not end there. Two and a half years later, she was still struggling with the pain and damage caused by the disease. Faced with the most difficult decision of her life, she decided to also have her right foot amputated in order to live a more active life.

    Ashley’s family doctor had recommended that she get vaccinated at the student health center at college. When school started, though, she was busy with classes, making new friends and having fun. Going to the health center for a vaccine was the furthest thing from her mind.

    "I was a teenager. I never thought something like this could happen to me," said Ashley Lee. "But it did. I got meningococcal disease. I lost so much to this disease. No one should have to go through this."

    Meningococcal disease, also known as bacterial meningitis, can cause meningitis and blood infection. Sometimes, the early symptoms – fever, aches and exhaustion – can be mistaken for flu, making the disease hard to diagnose. Even with prompt treatment, one in seven adolescents will die. Up to 20 percent of those who survive suffer long-term

    disabilities such as brain damage, loss of kidney function, hearing loss or limb amputations.

    The majority of cases among preteens and teens can potentially be prevented through vaccination. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends meningococcal vaccination for all adolescents 11 through 18 years of age, ideally at their 11-12 year-old check-up. Vaccination is also recommended for other people at increased risk for the disease, including college freshmen living in dormitories.

    Other vaccinations recommended for preteens

    Meningococcal disease is just one of many serious diseases that adolescents and young adults can get. Even if immunized in early childhood or infancy, preteens still need certain vaccines to stay protected into adulthood, such as tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis (whooping cough); human papillomavirus (which causes cervical cancer in women) and influenza (flu). In addition, children who missed vaccines or were only partially immunized as infants need "catch-up" vaccines at age 11-12.

    "Now – before school starts – is the best time to make sure your child has received all the recommended vaccinations for adolescents," said Lynn Bozof, president of the National Meningitis Association. "Having your children vaccinated is one of the most important ways you can protect them."

    For more information about adolescent vaccines, visit NMA’s preteen website: .preteenvaccines.org.

    To view a video of Ashley Lee telling her story and to see others share their experiences with meningococcal disease, please visit: ://www.nmaus.org/programs.

    About NMA

    The National Meningitis Association (NMA) is a nonprofit organization founded by parents whose children have died or live with permanent disabilities from meningococcal disease. Ashley Lee is part of NMA’s "Together Educating About Meningitis" (T.E.A.M.) program whose mission is to help educate others about the dangers of meningococcal disease and prevention methods, including immunization. For more information, please visit the National Meningitis Association’s website at .nmaus.org.

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  • 1 week ago
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• Chocolate for PMS? Doesn't Wor Chocolate for PMS? Doesn't Work!

  • From: HopeARicciottiMD
  • Description:

    You crave chocolate when you have PMS. The mood changes of PMS are frequently accompanied by increased appetite, with a preference for carbs. This is thought to be related to brain hormones, especially the hormone serotonin. Brain serotonin hormones are involved in the regulation of mood, and they can also affect eating habits. Treatment with serotonin potentiating drugs (SSRI’s), which are a treatment for both depression and PMS, suggest that brain serotonin plays a role in the pathophysiology of these disorders. Eating carbohydrates increases serotonin synthesis in the rat brain. It has been suggested that the excessive carbohydrate intake by those with PMS or depression reflects a self-medication that temporarily relieves the symptoms via an increased brain serotonergic activity.

    However, beware of chocolate as a cure-all for PMS moodiness. There is a great deal of lore, but not much scientific evidence, linking chocolate consumption and mood. The data that does exist is conflicting, with some studies showing a positive effect of chocolate on mood, and others showing the opposite. A recent study that came out in the Archives of Internal Medicine in April of 2010 found that those who were more depressed actually consumed more chocolate. Whether there is a causal connection, and if so in which direction, is a matter for future study. In the meantime, stick to therapies that are shown to work for PMS. Calcium supplements, 1000 mg daily, have been shown to help. Exercise can help. If those dont work, see your doctor to discuss whether the birth control pill (only certain ones work for PMS moodiness - Yaz, Yasim, Ocella), or an SSRI, such as Prozac or Zoloft may be a good choice for you. Dont suffer in sllence. See your doctor.

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  • 3 weeks ago
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• Summer Camp -- Let Them Have F Summer Camp -- Let Them Have Fun and Be Safe!

  • From: lynni
  • Description:

    For children, summer usually means a break from school; for some parents, summer can mean a break from the kids. When my children were pre-teens, I remember looking forward to that brief mid-summer break when they headed off to sleep-away camp. 

    If you have kids preparing for camp, no doubt you will be spending time helping them get ready to leave – shopping at the mall with your daughter or making sure your teenage boy remembers to pack his toothbrush. As you’re putting together your pre-camp checklist, it’s a good time to make sure your kids are up to date on recommended adolescent vaccines, like the meningococcal vaccine which can help protect them against bacterial meningitis. 

    Living in close quarters – like those at camp – can increase your child’s risk for contracting meningococcal disease or meningococcal meningitis. It’s nothing to trifle with – the disease strikes quickly and can cause hearing loss, brain damage, limb amputations, loss of kidney function, and in some cases – like my son Evan’s – the disease can lead to death.

    The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends several vaccinations for adolescents at their 11-12 year check-up, including meningococcal. For more information, please visit www.nmaus.org.

    Enjoy your summer with your loved ones, but before the fun begins, take a few precautions to ensure a safe and healthy summer.

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  • 4 months ago
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• 20 Minutes After You Quit Smok 20 Minutes After You Quit Smoking

  • From: AFitnessMinute
  • Description:

    Millions of people continue to struggle with their smoking habit. Are you? Or someone you love? You may want to consider this information...
    According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:

     

    20 minutes after you quit smoking, your heart rate drops.

    12 hours after you quit, the carbon monoxide level in your blood drops to normal.

    2-3 weeks after you quit, your heart attack risk drops and your lung function begins to improve.
    1 month after you quit, your coughing and shortness of breath decreases.
    1 year after you quit, your risk of heart disease is 1/2 that of when you were smoking.
    5 years after you quit, your stroke risk is reduced to that of a nonsmoker.
    15 years after you quit, your risk of heart disease is back to that of a nonsmoker.
    
    

  • Blog post
  • 4 months ago
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• What a Blast! What a Blast!

  • From: SaralynMarkMD
  • Description:

    What a way to celebrate a birthday! On May 14, I saw the launch of the space shuttle Atlantis lift off to the International Space Station for the last time. I had been invited by NASA to see this magnificent vehicle blast off into space -- surrounded by those who built it, serviced it, and had loved ones on board it. This was my third launch and it still filled my heart with awe. At the two minute mark, we all stood and faced the flag and sang the National Anthem. It was a poignant moment knowing that soon we will be dependent on the Russian Soyuz to get us to the space station. I loved hearing all the different space operations say "Go" for launch -- each knowing that a "No" would stop the whole process. A few minutes before there was discussion about a 1/6 of an inch ball bearing that was found. Engineers determined that it was part of a space camera, but that could have scrubbed the mission. It just reflected the meticulous safety checks on the multiple millions of pieces that make up a shuttle.

    During the 10 second countdown, everyone screamed out the numbers as if it were New Year's Eve! As the clock struck zero, a giant plume of smoke and a brilliant light emanated from the base of the shuttle...lift off!

    People cheered, applauded and some cried. As we got near to the two minute mark from launch, there was a moment of quiet from the crowd. We all remembered the Challenger, which exploded when the solid rocket boosters separated at that moment. As soon as we heard confirmation from Misson Control that all was well, a giant roar erupted from the crowd.

    By 8 minutes, the shuttle was in the zero gravity environment of space: if the astronauts were not strapped to their seats, they would float around. They are now traveling at 17,500 miles per hour around this beautiful and fragile planet. I wondered if they could see the brown sheen of an oil slick in the Gulf of Mexico, the fires burning down the trees in the Amazon or the smog surrounding the Great Wall of China.

    I hope that we all will have an opportunity to blast off into space someday if we want. The space program has revolutionized how we live our lives, how we protect our health and how we understand our environment.

    There will be many discussions about what we need to do with space exploration -- to go to the moon or not or to venture to Mars or even to asteroids, where we have recently discovered water and the organic materials for life. I just wish that whatever we decide, we remember that humans were designed to explore and to learn. We all felt like excited children on May 14, watching the shuttle. Imagine how we could feel as we suit up to view the earth from space. It would be a blast!

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  • 4 months ago
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• Yogurt Wont Help Vaginal Yeast Yogurt Wont Help Vaginal Yeast

  • From: HopeARicciottiMD
  • Description:

    One of the most common myths I hear about in gynecology is the natural remedy of yogurt for curing or preventing yeast vaginitis. The fact is, there is no good scientific evidence that proves that yogurt will cure or prevent vaginal yeast infections.

    Vaginal health 101
    A healthy vagina has a pH balance that is slightly acidic, with a small to moderate amount of discharge that ranges from clear to white, and from thin to thick. The color and consistency of your discharge depends upon hormone levels that vary throughout your monthly cycle. A normal vagina contains many different kinds of bacteria, yeast, and other microorganisms living together in this small ecosystem. Lactobacillus is a good guy bacteria found in your vagina and is very important. It's the peacekeeper among all the many microorganisms down there. These good bacteria produce acid, and this acidic environment keeps harmful bacteria and yeast from overgrowing.

    Risk factors for yeast vaginitis
    To keep the lactobacillus happy, don't douche, and don't use "feminine hygiene" sprays. These practices, along with antibiotic therapy, spermicide use, birth control pills, pregnancy, diabetes, tight clothing and frequent sexual intercourse are all factors that increase the risk for development of yeast infections.

    Yogurt and yeast
    So where does yogurt come in? Some types of yogurt, those with "active cultures" contain the bacteria lactobacillus, the same one that is the peacekeeper of the vagina. So the thinking is that if you eat this, or use it inside your vagina, you can inject some of these good guy bacteria back into the system naturally. Unfortunately, this does not appear to work in well-designed studies done of this technique.

    Yeast vaginitis symptoms
    Vaginitis is not a life-and-death emergency, but the intense itching and burning south of the border can make it feel like one. The usual symptoms of yeast vaginitis are a white "cottage cheesy" discharge, as well as vaginal itching or burning. (I don't know why we always use food to describe vaginal discharge.) Sometimes women notice burning during urination or dryness or pain with intercourse.

    Proven treatments for yeast vaginitis
    Treatment for yeast infections is best done with antifungal medication. If this is your first yeast infection, go to your health care provider to be sure yeast vaginitis is the right diagnosis. Once you've had a yeast infection, you can be pretty confident you know the symptoms yourself, so it's okay to treat yourself in the future, using over-the-counter medication. If you have lots of yeast infections, it's a good idea to see your doctor, because you may have a resistant strain that requires a prescription antifungal or longer-than-usual treatment.

    How do you use the treatments? You put them in your vagina. The usual form is a tablet, cream, or other form of suppository that goes into your vagina at bedtime (when you're horizontal, so it has a chance to work before oozing out) for a period of days. Antifungal creams that are available over the counter include butoconazole (Femstat 3), clotrimazole (Lotrimin), miconazole (Monistat), and terconazole (Terazol 3). A one-tablet oral treatment for yeast vaginitis is fluconazole (Diflucan), which can be convenient in order to avoid the messy creams but is available only with a prescription since your doctor needs to be sure it is a good option for you. If symptoms do not go away with treatment, make an appointment for further evaluation. During pregnancy, confirm your diagnosis before using any treatment. Your doctor will typically ask you to use creams instead of pills, because creams are less likely to get into your bloodstream--and into your baby.

    No partner treatment necessary

    We used to treat male sex partners at the same time. Now we know that yeast vaginitis is not sexually contagious, but rather an overgrowth of normal microorganisms. So your partner does not need to be treated, and you can't catch yeast from each other.

  • Blog post
  • 5 months ago
  • Views: 536

• No Period on Birth Control Pil No Period on Birth Control Pill? No Problem!

  • From: HopeARicciottiMD
  • Description:

    Many women on the new low dose birth control pills don't get their period, and this is no problem. Birth control pills today are low dose, containing 30-35 micrograms of estrogen, and some are ultra low dose (20 micrograms of estrogen). This low dose of estrogen keeps the lining of the uterus very thin, so that periods on the birth control pill are typically very light, or even absent in some women. The lining of the uterus (the endometrium) barely builds up at all, since estrogen is what causes it to grow. Often, the longer you are on the pill, the lighter and more pain-free your period gets. This is a nice benefit of taking the pill, in addition to the birth control action.

    How to Skip Your Period on the Pill

    Some women want to take a birth control pill to stop their period from time to time, for example if you have a wedding, vacation, or athletic event. You can stop your period by taking the birth control pill continuously, skipping the placebo pills at the end of the month, and immediately starting a new pack. The period you have on the pill is what is called a withdrawal bleed. The lining sloughs off when you start taking the placebo (dummy) pills at the end of the month. If you skip these, you wont get a period. This is perfectly safe to do. Some women prefer to do this year round, so they never get a period. This, too, is just fine. Studies show that women who take continuous birth control pills have less pain, so if you are suffering from painful periods, this method might help you more than cyclical birth control pills that result in a monthly period.

    It Might Cost You Money

    You may want to skip the dummy pills every month, so that you never get a period. The problem with doing this is many insurance companies won't fill your birth control pack every three weeks, but may only pay for a new pack every four weeks. One way around this is to have your doctor write on the prescription, "skip placebos and start a new pack every three weeks." Another option is to use one of the newer pills that contains fewer (or no) placebos, or dummy pills. Some of these newer pills are designed to have no periods, or very few periods, because they contain fewer, or no, placebo pills. These pills are generally higher cost for you each month, since they are often what are called third-tier drugs, requiring you to pay a higher insurance co-pay. Check with your insurance company to see if you are better off with one of these, or with paying out of pocket for any extra pill pack so you can skip your period when you don't want it.

    A Few Brands That Results in Fewer, or No, Periods

    Seasonale - periods four times a year

    Seasonique - periods four times a year

    Lybrel - no regular periods

     

  • Blog post
  • 5 months ago
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• birth control pack birth control pack

  • From: HopeARicciottiMD
  • Description:
  • 5 months ago
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• Are Frozen Meals A Good Weight Are Frozen Meals A Good Weight Loss Plan?

  • From: AFitnessMinute
  • Description:

      When you're trying to lose weight and you don't have much time to prepare meals, frozen entrees can be a convenient way to help control calories.  Keep in mind though, not all frozen meals are healthy.  What should you look for when buying a frozen entree?  First, look at the ingredient list.  The first ingredient should be real food, like chicken, pasta or vegetables.  It shouldn't start with fillers, stabilizers or chemicals, words you don't recognize as food.  Buy organic frozen meals when you can as they tend to have healthier ingredients, less chemicals and fillers.  Next make sure it's not over 500 calories per serving and it doesn't exceed 700mg of sodium.  It should also have at least 3 grams of fiber and 10 grams of protein to  help you feel full and to keep you satisfied.  Two brands I like are Amy's Kitchen (www.amyskitchen.com) and Organic Bistro (www.theorganicbistro.com).

     

    The Healthy Gift Set

    If you're looking for a gift that will help a loved one or a friend to take better care of herself, this is it.  If you want to improve your own health, then the Healthy Gift Set is for you.  Get my exercise dvd, Fitness After Fifty, AND my Guilt-Free Gourmet Cookbook, together for just $24.95!     Makes a great gift for  Mother's Day, Father's Day and Birthdays.    SHIPPING IS FREE.  Give the gift of health!

    Buy it at www.whybefit.com                                                                                                     
    

     

    

  • Blog post
  • 6 months ago
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• Try the New and Improved Femal Try the New and Improved Female Condom

  • From: HopeARicciottiMD
  • Description:

    

    Recently, several women's health organizations have been promoting the new and improved female condom.  This prompted me to start asking my patients if they've used it, and surprisingly, very few have even heard of it, let alone tried it. So I figured this column is a good place for me to add my voice to the promoters of the female condom. After all, the female condom is the only women-initiated birth control method that prevents both unintended pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections.

    What is the female condom?

    Like the male condom, the female condom is a tube that's closed on one end and open on the other. The sleeve-like device is inserted into a woman prior to sex, where it is held in place with a ring similar to the one on a diaphragm. Another ring stays outside, where it lies against the labia. The female condom can be inserted just before sex or up to 45 minutes prior. The female condom is 79 to 95 percent effective in preventing pregnancy, about the same as the male condom. It's available over the counter.

    How do I use a female Condom?

    To use a female condom, squeeze the inner ring between your fingers and insert it like a tampon. Push the inner ring in as far as it can go. Let the outer ring hang about an inch outside your body. Guide the penis through the outer ring. Right after ejaculation, squeeze and twist the outer ring and pull the pouch out gently. Like the male condom, it should be thrown away. Never use it again. Do not use the male and female condom at the same time! The friction makes both condoms more likely to break. The instructions are right on the package.

    The new version of the female condom, FC2

    In March 2009, the Food and Drug Administration approved a new version - the FC2 - that has some advantages over the original. It's much less expensive-about 82 cents each. It's also made of a new material that many women seem to prefer over the older version. The original female condoms were made from a polyurethane material. The new material, which is more latex-like, is softer, quieter, and warms up to body temperature more quickly. Most women note that it feels more "natural."
    
    The female condom has been surprisingly slow to catch on since it was released to the market 15 years ago. However, I think with this new version, new price, and these educational campaigns, more women are going to be comfortable with this method because they control it, and it carries the dual benefit of preventing unintended pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections. Try it, and let's hear from you about your experience.

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  • 6 months ago
  • Views: 548
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• Strong Women's Guide to Total Strong Women's Guide to Total Health

  • From: MiriamENelsonPhD
  • Description:

    A practical and interactive guide that shows women how to optimize their potential for health and well-being.  Includes in-depth information, self-assessment quizzes, and checklists to determine individual risk factors for common ailments and more serious diseases. Dr. Miriam Nelson shares the preventative measures that can be taken now to avoid such health problems down the road.

    From sexual and reproductive health to beauty, heart health, emotional well-being, bone and muscle health, and weight control, Strong Women’s Guide to Total Health offers a complete picture of the broad spectrum of issues that impact overall health. It is essential reading for women of all ages.

    Buy the book

  • 6 months ago
  • Views: 404
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• Have Genital Herpes? You're No Have Genital Herpes? You're Not Alone.

  • From: HopeARicciottiMD
  • Description:

    Herpes is once again in the news, and the news is a bit discouraging. A U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) release this week noted that one in six Americans between the ages of 14 and 49 have genital herpes, and close to one in two black women are infected. Even more frightening, nearly four out of five people who have genital herpes have not been diagnosed and may not know they have the infection.

    Genital herpes is an infection caused by a sexually transmitted virus. It most commonly infects the genitals, but it can occur in many areas. I've also seen it on bottoms and backs. It is usually spread by someone who has infectious herpes sore, but it can be spread even when the virus is dormant and no lesion is present because the virus can still be shedding. Herpes is a strange virus. It actually lives in the nerve endings, close to where the infection first started. Future outbreaks will always be in this same area, whenever the virus gets reactivated. There is no cure for herpes, and stress, illness, or sunlight can cause an outbreak. Some people have only a few outbreaks in their lifetime. Others have them as often as every month.

    When herpes outbreaks are on the mouth, we call it oral herpes, and this form is usually caused by herpes simplex I. You can get it from normal contact with family and friends, such as kissing or close skin-to-skin touching. It's not genital herpes and it's not sexually transmitted. It can, however, be spread to the genitals.

    Does It Matter If It Is Herpes Type I or Type II?

    Not really. We don't normally do tests to check if it is Herpes 1 or 2, because we know by the location, especially if it's recurrent. While it's technically possible for a Type 2 sore to infect the lips, it won't thrive there and recur. It thrives and recurs in the genitals. And a Type 1 case is possible in the genitals, especially transmitted by oral sex, but it won't generally thrive there either, so there tend to be fewer outbreaks if you do get Type I genitally. Types 1 and 2 are a lot alike at the DNA level but are still different viruses that do best in their own locations. They both are very contagious.

    How Herpes Is Spread

    Herpes is transmitted from direct contact with someone who has a sore, which is also called a lesion. Someone who has dormant herpes with no open sores can also transmit it. This is called asymptomatic shedding. For example, you know that your partner has herpes, so you avoid having sex when he has a lesion. But suddenly you develop a herpes sore in your genitals after having sex with him when he did not have a herpes lesion. This is possible, because a person can be shedding virus in the absence of a lesion about 10 percent of the time. Many women know before they are about to have a herpes outbreak because they get a little tingling feeling in the area where they typically get their outbreak. Remember, too, that you don't need to have intercourse to catch herpes, because touching a lesion, such as the penis touching the outside of your labia, can transmit the virus.

    Myths

    Don't fall for the myth. Herpes cannot be caught from dry surfaces like toilet bowls.

    Treatments

    There are medications that suppress the virus, but there is no cure today. The suppressive medications, which must be taken daily, can reduce and even eliminate herpes outbreaks and asymptomatic viral shedding. That can greatly reduce anxiety about having and spreading genital herpes, and most women find they have few, if any, side effects. There is also a vaccine in the works that shows promise, but it is still some years away.

    Health Issues and Herpes

    Herpes sores are uncomfortable, even painful, and people feel embarrassed about having them. But in a healthy person with a normally functioning immune system, they aren't dangerous. Herpes doesn't cause fertility problems or affect your general health. One important health issue to be aware of is this: if you have a genital herpes outbreak when you are going to deliver a baby, you should have a cesarean delivery instead of a normal delivery. A newborn baby can contract a herpes infection from an infected birth canal. Because a newborn does not yet have a fully functioning immune system, infection can have serious consequences. Luckily, a cesarean delivery can prevent this from happening. Medication can also be used in pregnancy to suppress outbreaks at the time of delivery. One other vitally important health issue is that a herpes sore can make you more susceptible to HIV. People with genital herpes are two to three times more likely to catch HIV.

    Condoms Decrease But Don't Entirely Prevent Herpes from Spreading

    Using condoms can prevent sexual transmission of herpes, as long as the condom entirely covers the sore. Your best defense is to use condoms every time you have sex--that's every time, until you are in a committed, monogamous relationship in which you've both been cleared of STIs by tests.

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  • 6 months ago
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• Stomach Hunger vs Mouth Hunger Stomach Hunger vs Mouth Hunger

  • From: Yogi
  • Description:

    Most of us experience what I call mouth hunger.  I differs from true hunger in that it is mainly a desire to eat rather than a real need for food.  We are trained from a young age to ingore the cues from our body and eat what we are given regardless of need.  "Clean your plate, there are starving children in China", our mothers told us.  We eat until it's gone and everyone is happy.  Except of course, us when we have to go and lie down on the couch to "digest" because we are so full.

    I grew up in a large Italian family and the big get-gethers requred massive amounts of food that in a "sit down" setting, came in waves.  I learned early on how to eat in this environment without being sick when I got home.  I still ended up being uncomfortably full.  Flash forward and I still struggle with mouth hunger over stomach hunger.  I want I want to eat because it's time, because it's there, because the amount left is too small to be leftover, because it tastes really good.  Lifetime habits are really, really hard to break.

    I have a policy about night-time snacking.  I clean up and "close" the kitchen after dinner.  I like to go to sleep light and feel skinny when I wake up.  Again, a mind game but it works for me.  Don't get me wrong I have times when my tummy is annoyingly rumbly and there is something in the fridge calling me.  This is one time when my control is strong.  I make myself go to sleep because I know when I wake up I will NOT be hungry. I am a believer in breakfast but sometimes I experiment to see how long it is between coffee and my "real" desire for food.  If I'm listening to my stomach and not my mouth it can be a couple hours before my body becomes insistant.  I usually don't wait that long for the simple reason that low blood sugar will make me crazy.  I've also found that it's counter-productive to wait until you are "starving" for food because your (my) control is totally gone by that time.

    So as usual, life is a continuous process of starting over.  Here we go again.  Put less food on a smaller plate and eat it slowly so you taste it.  Listen to your stomach and not your mouth.  If you can wait out that antsy "I want to eat" feelilng.  You will find that you were satisfied after all.

  • Blog post
  • 6 months ago
  • Views: 233
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• Will taking the birth control Will taking the birth control pill affect my fertility?

  • From: HopeARicciottiMD
  • Description:

    I have many patients who take the birth control pill for years, and I have been surprised to learn that many of these women believe that using the birth control pill for extended periods of time negatively affects their fertility. Let me put this to rest. No, the birth control pill will NOT decrease your fertility. It is well known that aging decreases fertility, but the birth control pill does not amplify this age-related decline in fertility.   Your ability to get pregnant after ten years on the pill is identical to your ability to get pregnant at the same age if you had never taken the pill. The pill stops ovulation, but as soon as you stop taking it, ovulation generally resumes in a couple of weeks.

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  • 6 months ago
  • Views: 557
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• Of Mice and Men Of Mice and Men

  • From: Yogi
  • Description:

    I was reading yet another article about why we are fat.  There are all kinds of genes in mice that cause them to be fat regardless of diet.  Mice that are fed less live longer than mice that are allowed to eat unrestricted calories.  Well that's all well and good but people don't cooperate the way the mice do.  People just eat.  Calorie restriction may lead to longevity but it takes a discipline that few of us have.  (if we did, no one would be overweight.)  Those genes and hormones that cause us to gain weight?  Yes, they probably do have an effect on a person's body weight but looking at people who have successfully lost weight and kept it off; you find that the common denominator is portion control and exercise.  Who knew?

  • Blog post
  • 6 months ago
  • Views: 160
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• How To Improve Your Self-Contr How To Improve Your Self-Control

  • From: AFitnessMinute
  • Description:

    New research from Duke University says if you spend time around people who have good self-control, then you can expect your own self-control to be good. 

    

    And spending time with people who have less self-control will influence you negatively.  There is a direct effect of your friend's behavior on your behavior.

    

     In fact, this applies to not only friends, but the people you're around a lot such as coworkers, husband, wife, boyfriend or girlfriend.  Surrounding yourself with motivated, healthy people, improves your odds of staying in control.

    

    If you want to help your spouse or partner to lose weight, set a good example by eating healthy and exercising. Odds are they will start doing the same.

  • Blog post
  • 6 months ago
  • Views: 227
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• Elin Woods and the Other Women Elin Woods and the Other Women

  • From: DrBHibbs
  • Description:

    At the same time that pundits were weighing in on whether Tiger’s apology was sincere,  Twitter, that great common denominator of public opinion, was afire with women telling Elin, “Get out.”  ”He won’t change.”  ”What is he, a robot?”  No doubt these  women  have been on the other side of infidelity.  My thoughts turned to the women  who have recently  authored a response to their audience:  Elizabeth Edwards, Jenny Sanford, Hilary Clinton.  Why write about the personal trauma of infidelity?  There must be many motivations, but among them may be the wish to tell her side–whether she chose to stay, or whether she chose to go.  Because the hard work of repair after an affair, always involves the injured spouse who has a choice to make.  Always a hard choice,sometimes an impossible choice, a choice that those on the outside of a marriage might second guess or misunderstand. Another motivation is likely the empowerment of other similarly betrayed women–to lend them a voice, and the solace of understanding.

    
    

    It may sound strange to those of you who have never experienced such a betrayal, but my first advice to these women whom I see in treatment is…don’t get plastic surgery now. Having an unfaithful partner is a personal 9/11, which rocks the very foundation of one’s self-esteem, of feeling desired and desirable, of feeling feminine.  Women, so traumatized, often seek to control something, and  that something may be the impulse to make themselves look younger, more attractive.  But the fix is deeper than a scalpel can achieve. The fix is to heal your very soul, and if it’s possible, to receive healing from the  person who most injured you…your spouse.  Like Tiger, an unfaithful partner will need to work hard and over many months and years to rebuild trust.   As Elin pointed out to Tiger,” a real apology won’t come out in the form of words, it will come from his behavior over time.  It’s what you do over time that really counts.”

     

  • Blog post
  • 7 months ago
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• Is It Safe to Never Have Your Is It Safe to Never Have Your Period?

  • From: HopeARicciottiMD
  • Description:

    Who would want to stop her period? Ask any woman -- particularly an athlete or one with heavy or painful periods -- and I bet she would say she'd prefer to skip it. While some women embrace their "time of the month," others would rather live without it. 

    IS IT OKAY TO STOP YOUR PERIOD FOR A LONG TIME?

    The short answer is yes. Menstruation is the result of ovulation. When an egg drops down and is unfertilized, the lining of the uterus is shed, causing a period. Traditionally it was thought that most women should have regular periods to get rid of the build up of the lining of the uterus. But now we know that with the birth control pill there is little to no build up. While there continues to be some controversy about halting menstruation indefinitely, common view among experts now is that women do not need to have their periods and can safely stop them.

    WHAT ARE THE NEW DRUGS TO GET RID OF PERIODS?

    In the past, doctors prescribed traditional birth control pills to stop periods -- but in a different way. Instead of taking three weeks of hormones and one week of dummy pills, patients were told to skip that last week and instead start the next set of hormones. Unfortunately, because more pill packs were needed to continue hormone use, insurance didn't cover the total cost. Now there are birth control pills that are FDA approved to minimize the number of periods a woman has. Seasonique (initially called Seasonale when government approved in 2003) is designed to give women one period every three months. By receiving FDA approval, the drug changed the way many women (and some physicians) think -- it legitimized the idea that women didn’t need to have a period every month. The result was more and more women asking for this. Another pill, called Lybrel, is first birth control pill to suppress menstrual periods for a full year. These two newer pills have the advantage of being covered by most insurance companies. In addition to birth control pills, some IUDs (Mirena) in some women will stop periods, or make them extremely light.

    WHO ISN’T RIGHT FOR THESE NEW MEDICATIONS?

    All birth control pills have side effects and potentially serious risks. Those risks include blood clots, stroke and heart attack. Smoking increases the risks, especially in women over 35. Women should also note that there can also be bleeding and spotting between periods. IUDs that stop periods don’t have these same risks as the hormone levels are much, much lower. Remember: Talk to your doctor about what is right for you.

     

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  • 7 months ago
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• Odorless Fish Oil Tablets Odorless Fish Oil Tablets

  • From: jsail
  • Description:

    Are oderless fish oil tablets as effective as other tablets?  I cannot tolerate the burping caused by the regular ones.  I am using the fish oil tablets for omega 3 and to control cholestral.  Are there any known side effects to using them for this purpose?

     

    Thank you for your input.

  • 7 months ago
  • Views: 3791
  • Forum: Healthy Liv...

• The Top 4 Habits Of Successful The Top 4 Habits Of Successful Dieters

  • From: AFitnessMinute
  • Description:

    The National Weight Control Registry has collected data on thousands of people who have lost a lot of weight and have kept it off.  These are the top four habits the dieters had:

     

    78% of them ate breakfast every day--A healthy breakfast such as an egg white omelet with whole wheat toast.

    62% of them watched less than 10 hours of TV per week.

     

    90% of them exercised an hour a day.

    75% of them weighed themselves once a week.

    

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  • 7 months ago
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